The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-02-19
THE FRENCH AND GERMAN FORCES.

THE FRENCH AND GERMAN FORCES. |
Both in her land and her sea forces
France has q peace effective numeri
ca1ly superior to that of Germany. The
difference is greatest in the navy, and
there also it could not be made up
should q war occur at any time before
1890; yet, though 1t may seem con-
tradiction, in the navy this French
numerical superiority is the least inn
portant. Germany has no colonies
worth attacking, and her comparatively
sible at all, is well provided with de-
lenses, while France has long coast
line to guard. Above all, the tremen-
dous vigor with which war on land
would be waged between these powers
would make 1t the decisive element
just as In 1870, when the French naval
superiority was perhaps even more
marked than to-day, it yet availed
nothing. For this reason it is not inn
portant to compare the naval forces OF
the two countries.
The army peace establishment OF
France is the larger, but in population
and potential arms-bearing resources
Germany has the advantage France
has the greater debt and heavier taxes
to sustain, but from these taxes the
government receives the ampler APP
propriations each year for military and
naval purposes. The peace effective
of the French army, according to last
years budget, is 1928, comprising
81, 14o officers and 492,14s enlisted
men. Major Huberding, of the Ger
man,War Ministry, in reporting recen-
tly to the special committee of the
Reichstag on tho army bill, estimated
the French peace force of enlisted men
at only All 900, possibly subtracting
25,s25, or else the military schools and
bureau troops, which, combined,
amount to $1,000. The peace footing
of the German empire comprises Is, 143
officers and 427 ,274 men, making an
aggregate of 445,4l7. Thus, in the
peace effective the advantage is clearly
on the side of the French. The news
of yesterday, however, announces that
GO, 200 infantry and $500 riflemen,
making total of 10000 men, of the
German reserves, have been summoned
to drill during the present week, so
that for the next fortnight the effective
force with the colors will be about as
great on the German side.
Turning to the war footing, the first
addition of France would be what is
called the territorial army, which conn.,
prises an aggregate of 1000 officers
and men. Other additions might car
ry the total effective under the first
call up to 100000 men, including all
arms and staff services. The German
mobilization for a war footing, with,
out the landsturIn and special organi-
cation, but including garrison and field
reserves, would comprise ,427 Off
GERS and 1,45G,G77 men, with about
% 600 more for the medical and coll
lateral forces. Thus we see again how
close the two notifications would
come in numerical strength. When
the landetrum is called out on the
one side and it's French equivalent on
the other, the Germans have an ulti-
mate superiority OF numbers, although
the French nominally counterpoise
disadvantage of population by making
larger ratio Of their people liable to
military service. Still, 50 far as
numbers are concerned, the French
would be much better off at the outset
than in 1870. Were it possible for
them, by sudden dash, to invade
| Aisace and Lorraine, ana neutraiize
the advantage in population which
their possessions gives to the Germans,
new face might be put upon the
struggle. The German Notifications,
military skill, and watchfulness, how
ever, and the probability that il there
is war this year it will be due TO Ger
many's taking the initiative, render
this contingency unlikely to occur.
The difference between the respect
i've organizations of the two forces
may be br,iiy indicated by saying that
France is a little the stronger in in
fantry, about i'll proportion to the gen.
eral strength OF her peacs organiza-
ton. She is decidedly the stronger in
artillery, and especially in the number
Of her Held guns. Maj. Huberding de-
clared to the Reichstag that the French
batteries now contain 452 mounted
pieces more than the German, the lat
! ter having 1404 to the 1856 of France.
On the other hand, the Germans are
very much stronger than the French
in cavalry, having fully seventy more
squadrons and about one,third more
cavalry force. One of the highest cav
airy authorities in France declares that
the disparity in this respect at the out
set would be much greater, since II
large part Of the French mounted force
is absent in Africa, making the Ger
man available force nearly double that
OF the French. In week or ten DAYS,
however, the absent French cavalry